YOU LUCKY PUNTERS - A STUDY OF GAMBLING IN BETTING SHOPS

This paper draws upon an ongoing study into gambling in the United Kin gdom to examine off-course betting as a form of social life. Through s uch an approach it identifies several features of betting shop life th at complement and refine the research literature to date: the differen t sub-groups within the off-course betting population; how they manage their activities in terms of their finances and their domestic and wo rk responsibilities; the often subtle social dynamics of the betting s hop. Through an analysis of these features of the punter's world, the paper investigates the rationality of the activities of loss-making pu nters, and shows how this differs markedly from the rationalities empl oyed by those who win at the game - bookmakers and professional gamble rs. One common concern for many punters is the dream of the 'big win' for a little stake - a concern not shared by the other two groups - a dream that undermines their ability to win, and thus compounds their l osses. The paper then identifies the different sub-groups involved in off-course betting, and discusses the different times at which they be t and the different strategies they use. In such a way the paper contr ibutes to the debate through identifying groups and social processes n ot addressed in the literature, and shows how they refine the categori es and concepts used to date.